Sightseeing tour of the Baikal coast

Day of crossings by various types of transport: water, rail, automobile.

And all this day, Baikal will be on your left, so different, so big.

First, you will cross the source of the Angara River on a large steamship ferry and find yourself in the port of Baikal, a large railway and river port that cannot be reached by car.

But from here begins the transfer by a special tourist train along the Circum–Baikal Railway - the "Golden Buckle of the Transsib", a stunning engineering and architectural monument of the early 20th century.

The trip is accompanied by a story about the history of construction, the unique features of the road.

The number of tunnels and bridges on a fairly short stretch of the road is impressive when you remember the level of technology development at that time – everything was built manually, thoroughly, for centuries.

By evening, you will find yourself at the southernmost point of Lake Baikal, at the very foot of the majestic Khamar-Daban mountains, from where the train will take you to Irkutsk.

The length of the crossing: by car ~10 min, by ferry ~ 40 min, by train ~10 hours.
The power is on: breakfast is at the hotel, lunch is on the train.

After breakfast, we take the bus to Olkhon Island along the road that runs through the steppes past ancient Buryat villages, through the picturesque spurs of the Baikal ridge, the Siberian taiga, which then again give way to the Mongolian landscapes of the Tazheran steppe. 

Crossing to the island.Olkhon is the largest of the 26 islands of Lake Baikal, its geographical, historical and sacred center, even in its shape resembling the outlines of a lake.

We will cross to the island by a large ferry.

You will see both the "Small" and "Big" seas – two parts of Lake Baikal, separated by Olkhon, and the famous Olkhon Gate Strait, which runs between the island and the mainland. 

Another 40 kilometers across the island and we are in the village of Khuzhir, the capital of the island.

Accommodation at the campsite.

Length: 320 km. Travel time: ~ 6 hours. Transfer by regular tourist transport to Olkhon Island.

The power is on: breakfast at the hotel, dinner at the recreation center.

But in the morning, go ahead and conquer the unexplored expanses of Olkhon Island.

An activity for the first half of the day will be a walking sightseeing tour of the surrounding area: a walk through the village of Khuzhir, a visit to the sacred cape Burkhan (Shaman Rock) - one of the 9 shrines of Asia, equally revered by shamanists, Buddhists and Lamaists.

The power is on: breakfast, dinner – at the recreation center.

Despite the fact that Olkhon is an island, there are such distances and roads that if you go on an excursion, it's for the whole day.

So this day will be spent almost entirely on an excursion to Cape Khoboy – the northern tip of the island, near the widest part of Lake Baikal.

On the way you will be able to see all the variety of Baikal natural landscapes concentrated on the island: steppes with bays jutting deep into the land, sand dunes, mixed deciduous forests with areas of relict spruce forest, picturesque cliffs on the shore of marble covered with red lichens. 

And on the cape itself, with a panoramic view of the northern part of Lake Baikal, and in good weather you can see the outlines of the Ushkany Islands and the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula – a walk through the surroundings, during which the guide will tell you about the legends, traditions and customs associated with these places.

And if the local gods are quite complacent, they will give you the opportunity to see the unique Baikal seal, the only freshwater relative of the seal.

The power is on: breakfast, dinner at the campsite, hot lunch at the campfire.

Today we are returning to the "mainland".

After breakfast at the campsite, the bus will take you to the ferry, and from there – a ferry to the mainland.

Staying at one of the camp sites on the coast of the Small Sea, you can enjoy a Baikal beach holiday, which has picturesque sandy shores, warm water in bays and water activities (bananas, scooters, etc.).

Travel time: ~ 1.5 hours. Transfer by regular tourist transport to the Small Sea.
The power is on: breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the recreation center.

Free day at the campsite.

The curious can visit the caves and salt lakes of the Tazheran steppe, the Sarminsky gorge or take a water tour of the islands of the Small Sea (additional), fans of active travel are offered a ride along the coast on bicycles (additional), and those who like to bask in the sun will again find a sandy beach and a warm bay.  

The power is on: breakfast and dinner are served at the campsite.

A week of travel passed unnoticed, but left impressions and memories for several years.

The time you spend on your way to Irkutsk will help you sort them out a little.

You will again see the picturesque mountains of the Baikal range, covered with forest thickets.

And closer to the city, populated places will allow you to smoothly prepare for your return to everyday life.

Travel time: ~ 4.5 hours. Transfer by regular tourist transport to Irkutsk.
The power is on: breakfast is served at the campsite.

The final day of the program and acquaintance with the ancient Siberian city of Irkutsk.

Sightseeing tour of the city: visit the historical center, the embankment of the Angara river, architectural monuments.

Excursion to the Znamensky Monastery with one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Siberia, famous for its iconostasis and burials on the territory (graves of the Decembrists, Grigory Shelikhov, etc.).

Visit to the central market and souvenir shop.

The approximate end time of the program is 14:00.

The power is on: Breakfast is served at the hotel.